ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. season — of the year
  5. saw — the tool
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. season — in sport
  8. pass — a permit
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. net — in sport
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. roll — a cake
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. net — after costs
  20. net — for catching
  21. mine — for digging
  22. roll — a list
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ruler — a monarch

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com